Today felt like Spring! Sixty and sunny, the ducks got some supervised play time outside their house.

I guess you could call them puddle ducks as they were having a ball in the melting driveway.

Splashing and preening, they were, feathers flying.

What I can’t figure out is why when they have this happy little mortar box with clean water, all but Dilly prefer the mud puddles.

Dilly, our physically challenged duck, seemed perfectly content to have the mortar box all to herself.

The day was so lovely that I pulled a chair from the porch through the two-to-three feet of snow still in the yard to this bare spot under the fir tree by the pond.

The view left a little something to be desired. Snow and…

…more snow. Yet, despite the fact that I had to wear my Muck Boots, I reveled in the warmth of the early April sun.

Of course, it’s supposed to snow tomorrow. Welcome to Maine.

On another note: I’m being very stingy with outdoor time for the ducks. Earlier in the week, during unsupervised play, we lost a duck to what we believe is a bobcat – in the middle of the day. I know it wasn’t Dilly (closest to my heart) or Squeak, our drake (I’ve heard his deep quack). Beyond that, I haven’t looked closely, not really wanting to know who is no longer with us. It’s tough when you raise them from babies and lose one.